Feel the riddim, feel the rhyme

From JH Weekly, Edition 5/31/11There’s a lot of passion in Jon Wayne’s voice. Not the film star Wayne, but the sharp shooter for up-and-coming, Minneapolis-based reggae-dub trio Jon Wayne and The Pain. The band is embarking on a 30-plus-date tour that will take them across much of the West and Midwest.Twenty-eight-year-old Wayne has been through a lot of personal struggle. His songwriting has been inspired by his battles with drug addiction, homelessness and having watched a friend die of a heroin overdose, but it also embraces the flipside of these dark depths: recovery, and coming to peace with one’s self.Born in small town North Dakota, Wayne was first exposed to reggae and reggae-rock through Sublime and Long Beach Dub Allstars. That led him to roots artists like Lee “Scratch” Perry and the contemporary dub-step of Scientist, Thievery Corporation and the underground Trojan compilations.“Dub music probably has the strongest hold on my heart. I could listen to it all day,” Wayne said. “I also like the electronic influence on reggae. We try to give a broad spectrum of reggae styles rather than just sounding like Sublime, which we used to get a lot, but not anymore.”Considering Wayne’s vocal quality and his rap/sing style of delivery—a cross between Bradley Nowell and G. Love—the Sublime connection is inevitable and apt. The Southern Cali reggae-rock sound is alive and well in Minnesota, but you won’t hear the harder punk edge of Sublime from Wayne and the Pain. He prefers the tonal qualities of an acoustic guitar rather than the tight chops of an electric, and the trio’s later material incorporates the use of a sub-bass synthesizer.“Its totally a different sound than any other dub-step band that I’ve seen,” Wayne said of the keyboard-style sub-bass. “It has super-low frequencies and our bassist has two 18-inch [subwoofers] on stage with 2,400 watts, so it’s pretty gnarly.”Jon Wayne and The Pain formed in 2005, releasing its self-titled debut in 2008 and its sophomore effort, Follow Through, last year. Its progressed through dub-step experimentation and the high-energy attack that helps to get bodies on the dance floor. The band, which also features bassist “Chuckie T” Torgerson and drummer Tito Miller, has grown tight from time on the road, playing 250 shows a year west of the Mississippi. Wayne and Torgerson actually picked up Miller while touring through L.A. He asked if he could tour with the band and he’s been with them ever since.Now the threesome takes the proud vibe of the rich Minneapolis music scene with them on every tour. Regardless of genre, the local bands there engage in camaraderie as second nature.“Ten years ago it was local bands like The Big Wu, and now Trampled by Turtles has a lot of national success, but the common thing with all of the bands now is that we go to each other’s shows when we are not touring,” Wayne said. “I think when you look at that, that’s the sign of a successful live music scene.”307 Live presents Jon Wayne and The Pain, 10 p.m., Tuesday, at Town Square Tavern. $5 at the door. 733-3886.